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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27206333">Call For a Shooting Star</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Technic_Error/pseuds/IncidentallyMine'>IncidentallyMine (Technic_Error)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Among Us (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blue is an alien merc, Blue is sus, Blue lived on Earth for a w h i l e, F/M, Inner Impostor Thoughts:Tm:, Lime did a nono, M/M, Minor Character Death, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pink goes by Salmon, Pink is weird, Slow Burn, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, White is sus too, Yellow is bestest of friend, innocent?? stalking?, my updates are random, should have put that first, this is m/m tho</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:23:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,411</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27206333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Technic_Error/pseuds/IncidentallyMine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Do you love space? Russel loved it.</p><p>Loved it enough to get into Mira HQ. To reach the stars, that was his goal. He thought he reached it too!</p><p>But space is a cold unforgiving abyss that wants to consume and swallow you whole. There is no mercy he learned. Not even able to step onto the spaceship itself. Sometimes, you can only dream so big until it crushes you beneath its weight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Black &amp; Green (Among Us), Black &amp; Red (Among Us), Blue &amp; Original Female Character(s), Blue &amp; Yellow (Among Us), Crewmate &amp; Crewmate (Among Us), Crewmate &amp; Impostor (Among Us), Crewmate/Crewmate (Among Us), Crewmate/Impostor (Among Us), Cyan &amp; White (Among Us), Cyan/White, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, hinted Red/Green</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I'm Looking for You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>heyyyyy there, so I hardly post my stories (they basically sit in my gdrive wroops) and like a dirty sinner they're mostly trashy smut *cough*</p><p>This'll be the second story I'll be posting on ao3 ;) (third if you count a crackfic i took down) If you see any mistakes please comment or dm about them so I can fix them! I'll be trying to update this as much as I'm able to since I have a lot of problems focusing on one thing so eeugh yeeeeaaa</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Hi mom,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I don’t know if you’re getting this. Hell, I don’t even know if you’re still alive. It’s been 17 fucking years since I last heard from you. But dad said you still existed, even if well..</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You know.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I just wanted to tell you about that dream I had when I was 8 though mom. Do you remember? I was such a fucking trouble maker, you were always laughing whenever I put hot sauce in dad’s tea. I used to always scream I had to prepare the family for the invasion of Hot sauce aliens.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yea, I don’t know what was going on there.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>But that dream? I made that dream a goal mom and.. I wanted to tell you that because.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I did it mom.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I met my goal.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>When you left dad and I, I was so devastated. I felt abandoned. Like me, you always enjoyed space. Told me how you loved the idea of flying through the stars. I thought- I thought maybe.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Maybe if I went to space that you loved so much. You’d love me too.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And yea, maybe that’s such a DUMB thought but, I miss you, I love you.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I’m.. leaving tomorrow.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Yours dearly,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>                Russel</b>
</p><p>Russel, a man of the age of 26 with a goal of being an astronaut, and they did it. They had gotten the job, they were going to space. They were.</p><p>They were…</p><p>Echoes of their pleading. Huddled and pressed against a storage crate. Hands holding their head as they coward. The sound of flesh tearing as they were slaughtered, gurgled breaths as the last thing they saw was their own face staring into his.</p><p>But not anymore.</p><p>
  <b>My Baby Boy,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Hi my baby!! This is momma and I’m so proud of you! I know you’re not going to get this because I saw your launch into space :) but know that I’ll always be there with you in spirit!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you the 17 years you worked hard to get into MIRA, but I NEVER stopped loving you no matter what you did (even if I don’t know what you did.)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Don’t be too hard on yourself, you were like that a lot, just like your father. I hope you make many friends as well!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Be safe my baby Russel.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>      Love,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>           Momma</b>
</p><p>A dull expression covered Blue’s face as he looked out the ship’s window. Staring at the Earth that got smaller by the minute. Soon it would be just another speck in space, a giant rock with his employer, he mused.</p><p>He turned then, walking from the window and making his way deeper into the halls, his hand raised to his hat, tilting his fedora over his visor as it flashed with the overhead lights. Deeper into the ship, his footsteps echoed. Ominous as it was, there was nothing to be done about it as he stepped into his room.</p><p>Doors hissed as they closed. Silence descends.</p><p>There’s an impostor onboard the Skeld.</p><p>And there is no one the wiser.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Missing a Piece of Myself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>How did he get here?</p><p>Why is he here.</p><p>I'll let you in on a little secret.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blue used to be a mercenary, it was how he had gotten this job. Of course ‘used to’ doesn’t mean he was anymore. He had stopped that line of work years ago, but he couldn’t very well turn down an old friend he owed a favor.</p><p>She had called him during his hunting hours, scaring away the deer he was stalking and causing him to spend another hell-forsaken hour tracking them again and stocking up his food that had been running low. He had hung up the call then, only when he had finished restocking his meat resources had he called her back.</p><p>“I hope you have a reason for hanging up on me.” Her voice had been huffy, frustrated in knowing she couldn’t scold him for his disrespecting, but it certainly didn’t stop her being pissy. From her side of the call, the sound of a pen scraping across paper echoed through, “It’s night, Onna.”</p><p>Clipped were his words as he cleaned off his limbs, “For you, besides you hardly sleep!” Onna laughed, the phone making it buzz slightly. As her laughter tapered off she sighed, “You got no plans for the rest of whenever right?”</p><p>He paused, flicking off the excess droplets from his tentacles as he gave an inquisitive trill, “Informative. What do you need?”</p><p>Onna gave a click with her tongue as she sighed heavily, “One of my men got information about a target I’ve been trailing for the past month. Learned the fucker got into that space program, and with the progress they’re making.. Well, sooner or later they’re going to go on a mission.” Another frustrated sigh left her, he only hummed in reply though as she took a breather.</p><p>“I was hoping you wouldn’t mind taking on a job I’m putting out. Can’t very well take out the bitch while they’re in the facility, but.. You’ve done missions aboard Mira’s crafts before. Once aboard, anything could happen.”</p><p>His tongue swiped against his inhuman teeth, the bone tip scraping against a few as he pulled it away, “Those were multi-kill operations Onna. Where I was employed to take down the entire craft. I can’t just kill one person and call it done.”</p><p>“For me Russ! Please, you owe me a favor. All you need to do is make the kill look like an accident. I even have an identity you can take over, dude’s name isn’t even much different from the one you’re using now!” She hurried to speak, her words going from steady to nervous as he listened to her nails tapping against her desk.</p><p>“Wasn’t outright refusing the job ma’am,” a rumbling chuckle left him as he settled on his couch, “what’s the time reference?”</p><p>Clicks of a pen, off-phone conversation and the rustling of paper as it was crinkled between fingers, “They got into Mira a couple of weeks ago, headed to the HQ in 2 months. Mission to Polus in 5 months. You got 6 of those months to decide. It’ll give us time to set up connections to get your identity placed on the mission as well. Real quiet dude, hardly interacted with his peers. Contact with his parents, hardly a thing, but that doesn’t matter on a mission from Mira HQ.” Onna laughed almost on the verge of hysteria, “Wonder when they’ll learn, HQ is rather stupid isn’t it.”</p><p>“It is.” He agreed, “I’ll accept the job for you as a favor. It’ll even be cheap.”</p><p>“Not free?” She whined jokingly, pen scraping against paper set on top of a wooden surface, “Don’t use all your luck Onna, you still remember the email I gave you? Forward the details there. Half from the stack.” He could hear her chair creaking, “Thanks, Russ” She sighed in relief, a grunt his only reply as he hung up.</p><p>He let his phone slide off his shoulder, down his appendages and onto a low table in front of him.</p><p>Seven months. Nearly enough time to make jerky that could last a while. He had hunted plenty before the call, if he could prepare all of that he should be set. There’d be more work to do, extra hunting tomorrow he mused. Burrowing further into his couch he groaned.</p><p>“I’ll have to wait for the email to see if I even need anything more.” Grumbling aloud he eye’d his phone for any notifications, giving it barely a minute he rose from his seat and left it on the table.</p><p>Russ was doubtful the email would be sent right at this moment. At most it would be in 3-4 hours, in the morning he’d check, but at this moment he wanted rest.</p><p> </p><p>- <b>The Next Day</b></p><p>To: 1129310</p><p>From: Boss G</p><p>Subject: I got the plan, you got the jam</p><p>Target is Lann Crest, stole some of my data a while back, was important too, but I can live without it, easily replaced. What I can’t live with is the cunt decided to go and sell it to Mira HQ, it’s what got them in too.</p><p>We won’t be able to give a whole lot about the target until 2 months before the mission since they haven’t been assigned a color and whatnot. Don’t even know the crew size yet.</p><p>But the flight to Polus will take about 5 months in total once you leave the atmosphere, so make sure you get enough stock for the ride.</p><p>Your identity will be Russel Stoner. 26 years old. It'll be easy to separate the man from the group if he isn’t already, you’ll be assigned a color so I don’t think you’ll be using the name much. Better safe than sorry though.</p><p>Assigned color will be Blue, but I know you never stick to the right shade you brat. Try not to stick out too much alright?</p><p>Payment of $250,000.</p><p>I’ll be able to get the mission information within 5 months, as soon as I do I’ll be forwarding them to you. Keep it nice and simple.</p><p>Stay safe bud.</p><p> </p><p>- <b>Sometime before Departure</b></p><p>Subject: Re: I got the plan, you got the jam</p><p>MIRA HQ - POLUS MISSION</p><p>EARTH - POLUS ETA 5 MONTHS</p><p>CREWMATES BOARDING:</p><p>RED</p><p>WHT</p><p>BLK</p><p>GRN</p><p>BLU</p><p>CYN</p><p>LIME</p><p>TEAM IS BOARDING SPACECRAFT: 08295 - SKELD</p><p>Departure set on date: XX/XX/XX</p><p>Lime is your target, good luck loser.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>did i just stay up 5hrs writing this because i kept getting distracted?</p><p>ha, yes, yes i did</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Don't get lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He'll be drowning in thoughts when it happens, <b>they</b> whispered.<br/>But he's always drowning in thoughts.</p><p>They've gotten him this far, so he'll let it all loom over him like a blanket.</p><p>(A blanket made to lock him down.)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oct 31st and Among Us hitting 1k fics on ao3??<br/>coincidence? ;333</p><p>decided this called for a slightly longer chapter, basically introducing most of the crew now, can't have you all getting attached to them though so it's not much.<br/>but have a deeper perspective into the thoughts of an impostor why don't you ;)</p><p>does this make me slightly sociopathic??</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>LIME - LANN CREST</p><p>SEX: F</p><p>GENDER: They/Them</p><p>ETHNICITY: Asian American</p><p>AGE: 31</p><p>JOB: Researcher</p><p> </p><p>Blue viewed the small notecard with a hint of interest, his fingers tapping against his helmet as he leaned on his arm. Free hand flipping the card, he looked at the small picture plastered on the back.</p><p>Brown hair, green eyes, they looked somewhat malnourished. Dark bags were beneath their eyes in the picture, but he didn't know if this picture was the most recent. His eyes left the card, pushing it into his suit's pocket easily as he slid his view towards the chattering suit that encased his target.</p><p>An accident. For a researcher? Inwardly he questioned the possible deaths they could even have. What tasks would be available to them, the time and places they'd be and if anyone would be with or near them.</p><p>Did he have any tasks that overlapped theirs? His sight moved again, away from his target and onto the Captain's suit of cyan. They hadn't given the task lists yet, atmosphere only just being left. Blue wondered if it would be the next day the Captain would give out the lists of tasks everyone would be set to doing and checking for the months they'd be onboard the Skeld.</p><p>Sharp teeth nipped at his lower lip as he planned out possible outcomes. With a crew of only 7 including himself, everyone was bound to get more than the normal amount of tasks made for 10, this was a large ship after all.</p><p>Why Mira decided to use such a large craft, Blue will never know, but he settled it with HQ being idiots as usual.</p><p>His gaze was set on the table he sat at now, away from Lime who gave nervous laughs for Red who was unsubtly questioning them about their work and the Captain; Cyan, leaning against the wall by the door, talking quietly with the pilot White.</p><p>He sighed then and there, letting his body relax until he was laying his upper half on top of the table, arms folded beneath him as he laid on his limbs. Hardly was he tired, but boredom was settling in with nothing to do besides observe and plan.</p><p>Yet he could only do that for so long before nerves began to set in about the mission. He couldn’t make the kill so soon either, if Lime was killed barely a week in they’d be turned around, headed back to Earth where he’d be detained without a second thought. Turning his head, he took a glance out the window, passing lifeless stars that filled the glimmering black.</p><p>It would never give answers, he mused, but he would never stop looking out to that beyond. Perhaps hoping; dreaming, that something might change, despite knowing how weak those chances are. That didn’t necessarily mean there was no chance though.</p><p>He let his arms splay out in front of him, hat shifting centimeters, while letting his body go flatter against the table as he frustratingly huffed. Cyan and White walking from the cafeteria and down the hallway leading to Navigations.</p><p>Lime heading hurriedly to the medic area crossed with labs, their voice sounding high with nerves as they apologized to Red. Leaving the man waving it off with a laugh and letting them go.</p><p>Red himself was already walking the other way from Lime, his steps bouncy as he made way towards Green’s table, sitting with Black in silent company. The addition of Red joining them both did little to end that silence. Only a gentle hello from the red-suited man, different from the behavior he showcased with Lime.</p><p>Blue’s eyes narrowed as Green moved her hands in sign language, the familiarity and confidence in how fast her hands moved gave him enough to know they weren’t strangers. Black spoke after their companion was finished, Red giving a shake of his head before pausing and then shrugging.</p><p>Their own conversation lulled into silence not long after, his eyes sliding shut with ease as he listened to the ship’s infrastructure instead.</p><p>It calmed the thoughts that came from every direction. Eased his nerves and heart that were racing with the need to <em> hunt </em>. He remembers why he hated doing missions set on a Skeld ship or one of Mira’s HQ Stations.</p><p>It felt cramped and suffocating, having to wait for the right time to strike for every kill, but the rush was what he had enjoyed when he was younger. Hiding bodies or placing them in the correct area to be found. Alibis and lies, it sent his blood boiling with excitement.</p><p>His body inhaled a steady breath, lungs expanding before contracting as he exhaled with a sigh, old memories probing for an opening through his already muffled mind. He pushed them away with a grumbled sound of irritation.</p><p>So distracted, Blue’s body gave a full-body jerk as his shoulder was tapped. His head lifted up, his hat nearly falling off to stare into the visor of Black who was leaning over the table, hand still outstretched.</p><p>“You okay over here?” Low was their voice as they spoke, keeping to a limit of quiet that didn’t go above the whirring of machinery in Russ’ ears. A slow blink, unseeable to the other, but the words he spoke were audible, “Yea.” Probably.</p><p>As cracked as it sounded, he cleared his throat, “Yea,” he repeated, “why do you ask?” Black stared at him for a moment, turning to look behind themselves, Green and Red watching from their table.</p><p>They turned to look at him again, bobbing their head to their friends, “We’re going to explore the ship. Since you’re also a new recruit, thought we’d invite you to join us.”</p><p>New recruit. Had Blue forgotten that detail? Not really, but it was hard to forget the layout of a ship he had murdered on before. He knew which vents led to where, what rooms were easier to kill in.</p><p>Electrical was always the perfect place, but you’d have to play it smart. A set off of the O2, slaughter in the electrical, vent to medbay and head down to admin. The faster you killed, the faster it could work out.</p><p>Yet, if he sabotaged O2 it would be an easy give-away and a researcher in electrical?</p><p>But it could work out.. If everyone had their tasks perfectly done in an order, he could set the body in electrical, make it look like they had tried to sabotage the lights themselves but failed horrendously.</p><p>He’d have to make a quick vent into security or medbay, get to whichever one was closest to a task and meet-up with someone heading to electrical.</p><p>“Hey?” Blue’s head jerked up from the down position it had slid to sometime in his thoughts, which scattered as three crewmates stared at him with their darkened helmets. Red snapped his fingers in front of himself, “Zoning out on us pal.”</p><p>“Sorry.” He uttered in reply, “Got caught up in thoughts.” Honesty laced his voice as Green nodded, hands moving much slower than when she had signed to Red or Black.</p><p><em> “Offer still up.” </em> He nodded his head, “Would help when we get tasks.” Blue left from his seat, resettling his fedora on top of his head as Black took the lead with Red beside them, Green hanging back and walking astride from him in silence.</p><p>They left down the hall towards storage, pausing on the way to inspect the admin’s room, “Is this where I heard of the legendary card swipe?” Red’s voice went down an octave as he spoke, glancing from Black to Green then Blue himself.</p><p>In reply, Green did a full body eye-roll, Black chuckling as Red continued, “They say somewhere aboard another Skeld craft, there is a man, long has he died from an IMPOSTOR attack.” His voice had started to ebb into a whisper, startling the three others when his voice raised, Green smacking the red-suited man.</p><p>“But he still continues to swipe his card!” He guffawed his last sentence, taking his friend’s hand and squeezing it- away from Black’s sight but not his; not Blue’s. He watched curiously, but left it at that as he followed the dark-suited crewmate, who had already started leaving the group when Green smacked Red.</p><p>Now it was those two who had taken the back, Blue traversing besides Black as they crossed into storage. Save for the large storage crates stacked and placed in a row, the room was perhaps the largest, expected to be as the bunks they occupied were right above. Each crewmate got their own and the stairs that led to said bunks were not much different looking to attic stairs.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>- Skeld’s the Skeld</b>
</p><p> </p><p>The Skeld ships had not changed much from the last time Russ had ever been on one, he realized this as the group finished their self-tour. While they went around the whole ship, neither Cyan, White nor Lime had been seen. Of course, as late as he had seen it be on his watch, it was expected they’d already be in their own bunks.</p><p>As he broke off from the others, heading to his own bunks which seemed to be placed closest to Lime’s and wasn’t that an odd coincidence. A bad one in his mind.</p><p>There’d be no killing Lime in their sleep and as tempting as it would be to knock them out, then suffocate them. He didn’t exactly have anything that could knock them out in one hit and sure he could use his own strength, but it carries the risk that an item carries as well.</p><p>The bruising.</p><p>He was hardly 3 steps into his room before the door was shutting behind him, nothing off-putting, but the click of a lock turning had him pausing to eye the door in contemplation. While every Skeld-ship he had been abroad before had locks- they were never really used.</p><p>Crewmates themselves besides the Captain couldn’t really lock their doors. Most of the Captains he had killed had been rookies, the smarter and more veterans being placed on more important missions. Those were safer to an extent, ones not traveling to impostor-filled systems.</p><p>Didn’t mean he hadn’t killed the veteran-types before, while more observant, it was hard to catch an impostor who lived on Earth and had inside information to avoid being caught. How many times Onna had saved his life from a silly addition to notes was many.</p><p>Didn’t mean she got a pass for putting him on some of these god-damn missions in the first place though.</p><p>Blue grumbled as he pulled off his ignored fedora. He was sure if the hat was sentient, it would be glaring at him poutingly. Most of the time he forgot it was even on his head, suit a separation to the thing he had been gifted many years ago.</p><p>His hands rubbed the thin felt covering the brim of it. Unfeeling of the texture through his gloves he settled it atop his bunk room’s lamp.</p><p>Again, he groaned, his thoughts being so easily derailed today. Was he rusting? Hardly was he even in his prime for his species! He forcefully brought his thoughts back upon the locked door.</p><p>Only Captains of the crew could lock doors. They had an experienced one then, if he left his room an alert would sound to Cyan’s room announcing a crewmate’s door had been opened. There was really no bypassing it, as even the vents in the bunks were smaller than any impostor could possibly shift.</p><p>It was the one place onboard the Skeld that Mira kept safe- as long as the Captain knew, because HQ could care less if rookies died.</p><p>But he supposes it is fair. If an impostor was given free reign at night, it would be easiest to annihilate them all in their sleep. A swipe to their victim’s sleeping throat, silence in the night. No one awake, more to press into the gaping maw of eternity.</p><p>It was a poor practice, many impostors saw it weak to kill their prey while they were sleeping. It said you were weak if you did it like that, but Blue didn’t necessarily care.</p><p>When it came down to it, killing was killing and the faster he was done with it, the quicker he got money with a free ride home from the pick/clean-up crew, it wouldn’t be the same for this mission though he mused.</p><p>He laid in his single-sized bed, stretching his limbs within his blue-colored suit, too lazy to have taken it off. It would be pointless for him to take it off anyways, he could sleep on a rock for all he cared and still wake up as limber as always.</p><p>His eyes closed as he let his body settle, feeling boneless as his muscles began to relax.</p><p>Three months, a passing voice whispered. Then he’d go for the throat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Here's the Yard, but I've lost my Grave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Timing, that was what murder was about.</p>
<p>It was about the seconds you could do it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>are numbers confusing me? yes, yes they are</p>
<p>Happy Halloween!<br/>Two chapters on the same day? outrageous! unfortunately this is shorter than ch3</p>
<p>so much i can write before i keep getting distracted</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>{TIME OF ARRIVAL} - 41 DAYS</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>{RECEIVING LOCATION} - P0LU5 OUTPOST 1029</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>{CREW STATUS} - (7) ALIVE</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>{CARGO} - 012044*5 // 29010*3 // A04151*7</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Blue gazed at his tablet, used for receiving tasks it had one been, but in his hands it wasn’t much trouble to hack into the ship and gather control over some of the ship’s functions and some logs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All it had taken was a download task, an easy access.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He fixed his fedora, settled it lower upon his helmet to hide the reflection of his visor as he stared at the log. Forty-one days. One hundred and one wasted? Perhaps, but that wasn’t a problem. Onna had only wanted Lime killed, she did not explain when, but he’d rather have this over with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He settled his tablet back into his pack, tucking it between the bags of jerky he was starting to run low on. There was only so much he could take of the meat, clinging between his teeth and hardly could he clean them around the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stepping foot in his room locked the door, a function that stays even during the daylight for who knows the fuck why, only opening at the odd hours of 5am and 9pm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bathrooms were a public thing on the ship, while their private rooms had a small one, this has already been explained. So he had settled with eating most of the given crew meals. Most of his meals had been fish, one of the meat options.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other being ham.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Always in low supplies that one was, fish being more common, most of the crew happy to give him any fish they got.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cyan had stared at him when he started to eat the fish, his only reply was to swallow and shrug, “I’m a pescatarian.” Blue could recall himself saying, before picking up Cyan’s least liked vegetable, an onion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been round. Not a slice off it, and as Cyan watched, Blue peeled back layers before chomping into it like an apple. He had to fight back a gag, chewing with an indifferent face while his brain screamed profanities.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he had to get the captain off his back, if it cost him his nose and taste buds, he’d make do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It did the job well, Cyan’s noise of horror alongside White who slowly put down his fork that had food still on it. Red had howled with laughter, Green making motions of disgust while Black gave quiet chuckles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can remember catching Lime from the corner of his eye, staring in disbelief at what they just walked in all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue shook his head to remove the horrid memory, despite having done many dumbass things to get crewmates off his ass, biting into a raw onion had been tormenting his sense of smell for that single day, how hard he had tried to wash out the taste.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How little that helped. In the end, the taste faded eventually, giving his lungs and nose itself mercy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A phantom gummy taste of onion reared into the back of his throat, his face twisting as he stifled a gag. Moving from the cafeteria and into admins he pulled out his tablet and plugged it into the box by the multiple aligned screens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starting the upload gave him time to put his tasks on his HUD, having forgotten to do so after seeing the days left.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>{Tasks}</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>UPLOAD DATA</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- ADMIN’S</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- COMMUNICATION’S</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- ELECTRICAL’S</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- NAVIGATION’S</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- <em>CAFETERIA’S {COMPLETED}</em></span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a calm in the tasks, with just less than 2 months until Polus, there was less work to be done. Uploading and downloading were the main tasks he had been getting these past months, but now it seemed it was just uploading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was much faster than downloading. Whatever poor soul that had gotten those tasks when there was nothing to do with wires, they had his apologies.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>- Time of Death // UNCHARTERED</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His task had been accomplished on the 112th day of their travel. The main task, his mission he’d been given, not one of the ship tasks if you were wondering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d done it in electrical in the end, settling for the false sabotage or task gone wrong. Blue was in Cafeteria uploading data, his alibi. Using the vent to go into Electrical from the medical room, no one had tasks in there for the day, not until the afternoon to check samples.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Security was empty as well, cameras on and recording, he’ll have to make a loop on his way through.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone on the ship was scattered, long trusting there were no impostors onboard and having taken to their tasks alone. Cyan was in communications, going to and from Navigation where White was settled, working the trajectory and keeping them on route.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Green was in O2, taking care of the plants as a botanist would, cleaning the filters and checking oxygen levels. Black wasn’t far, being in Weapons and making sure neither the ship and crew got into a dangerous field of asteroids.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Red that Blue had to keep worried about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While everyone was on the other side of the ship, it was Red, Lime and Blue that were on this side, partly. Cafeteria was a middle ground, same as storage. Russ knew this could be risky, but he’d just have to play it safe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He made his way into the medbay, camera blinking behind his back before it was lost from view as he got far enough for the doors to automatically close. There was nothing stopping him from slipping into the vents, stopping by security to make a loop in the cameras that continued the time bar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The loop was set for 15 minutes, enough time as he slipped back into the vents. As he got nearer to Electrical he could hear Lime grumbling words and there they were. Standing atop the vent and distributing power to security.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their helmet lowered farther down, staring back into his visor and they scrambled back, voice rising in hysteria until they choked on a shrill scream; muffling it as he tackled them down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, please don’t kill me!” Lime cried, scrambling to escape his hold as he watched, he ignored their begging though, turning towards wires scattered across the floor- he grabbed a handful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh-what are you doing?” Their voice trembled, Blue watching apathetically as he began tangling the lime suited human in wires, “Sending Onna’s regards.” His voice was peaceful, before bordering on amusement as he cut off the plastic protecting some of the wires, placing it on Lime’s thigh before grabbing their hands and holding the two different wires separate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She sent you after me?? Please listen to me!” They shook, only getting further stuck in the wires before stuttering a breath and spasming as electricity coursed through their body lethally- having been moving too much the uncovered wires had touched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that was all it took.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lights overhead flickered as he rushed through the vents into security, turning off the loops as the lights overhead went out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He left from medical hurriedly, eyeing the offline camera humoredly before heading to weapons, purposefully stepping into Black, White, Green and Cyan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Sorry guys, couldn’t see anyone..” Blue spoke apologetically, Black patting his shoulder as Green waved him off kindly, Cyan glancing at White who only shrugged in return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Captain moved to speak, but the pounding of foot steps interrupted him as Red came into view, a flashlight in his hands that gave more illumination that their helmet did, “Oh hey! Everyone’s he- ah, no, Lime isn’t here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re in electrical.” Cyan answered, Red making a small ‘oh’, “If lights went down power must’ve short-circuited and if they aren’t here, something could have happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something did happen indeed. Green had hurried over to Lime when Red had gotten the lights back working, their body slumped against the floor tangled in wires and looking like they tripped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cyan looked at the deceased crewmate with a tilt of his helmet, indiscernible to everyone and Blue except for White whose voice broke the frantic talking of Red who was talking to Black and Green.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An unfortunate accident,” the second largest man on the ship turning to the Captain, “we’ll need to inform HQ about Lime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He only gave a frustrated growl before turning in his cyan-suit, leaving the room angrily as he headed to communications, but not before leaving White with orders, “Take care of the body and set everyone back to tasks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An only nod, unseeable by Cyan as he left the room, White turned back to the trio, Blue watching from the side, “Red, back to the reactor. Green and Black, O2 and Weapons, you still got tasks to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue, help me with Lime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He let his body jolt as his color was called, looking towards White and letting his voice ask in a nervous tone, “Are you sure..?” The others passing him gave sympathetic pats, his tasks being the least troubling made him the best option to help.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>White only stared at him until the others left the room, the door shutting and leaving only them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue did not reply, simply passing by the other and standing over Lime’s body, inspecting his work. White stood on the other side of the body across from him, kneeling down to begin untangling the corpse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gave it 30 seconds before helping the monochrome man, “I had a mission and saw it through.” Chuckling, he threw off the last wire, White staring at him questioningly, “Then you won’t be killing our crew..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Our? Blue licked his lips in thought, tilting his head before the lightbulb was shining in his head, “Is that why you’re on this ship then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you protecting Cyan?” Another chuckle bubbled from him as the other hissed, “Hey, chill kid. It was only Lime I was paid to kill,” he observed the white-suited alien with little care, watching the other lift Lime’s body and heading to the door before stopping as he spoke up again, “but if the others find out. Then I won’t have any problems taking them all out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened as he passed the stock-still kin, Blue turning to whisper as he went by.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t make it a hassle friend.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Burning brighter, I don't see it, I feel it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's almost heart-warming.</p>
<p>On a tundra of a planet.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>me? procrastinating??<br/>nOOO??</p>
<p>there's a lot of thoughts going through my head and I can't keep up to remember them lmao and then I keep getting distracted ,_,</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>{ARRIVING SHIP} - SKELD CRAFT - 08295</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>{LANDING ON} - P0LU5 OUTPOST 1029</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>{CREW STATUS} - (6) ALIVE (1) DECEASED</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>{CARGO} - CLEAR</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>- Two days before landing.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve been keeping quiet about it for nearly 40 fucking days,” frustration; anger at what felt like a betrayal to him, “who did it White.” Cyan practically hissed, staring down at White who sat calmly in a navigation seat. He did not turn his sight from the dot known as Polus, letting Cyan’s anger stew for a moment as they shared the room alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>White settled for lowering his head instead of turning to look at his Captain, eyes darting from his lap to the cyan-color boots barely peaking at the corner of his sight, helmet obscuring the rest of the other man. “White.” Cyan’s voice sounded as if he was croaking, the monochrome suited man responding with a soft, “Cyan.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why won’t you tell me? All I need to know is if there’s another alien on board or if Lime’s death was really an accident.” They both knew already Lime’s death was not an accident. White had appeared to Cyan troubled the next time they reunited after Cyan had finished his call to HQ announcing Lime’s untimely passing from an electrical incident.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And even if White did not speak about it, the captain had already pieced many things together, but Cyan wanted to hear it. Wanted to be trusted enough to be told by his companion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The issue at hand was that while the other alien on board had ended no one besides Lime, having already reported it as an incident other than an attack. White didn’t confide in Cyan and there was no telling if the other creature on board would kill another crewmate once they landed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If someone else dies.. It’ll be on our hands White.” The only response given was a low whine of, “I know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cyan stared at the other with a defeated posture, a whoosh of air leaving his mouth as he exhaled a sigh, only then did he plop onto a seat besides White who laid a hand on his arm. He didn’t bother expressing his remaining frustrations, instead his head tilted as exhaustion caught up to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence prevailed for the moment then, listening to the ship’s powerful engine as they sat in the navigation room, the tension from before easing and finally being broken as White gave a low rumble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“..How would you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shifting of material sounded, White’s hand on Cyan’s arm squeezing briefly, “Just, trust in me some more? Please?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh, the captain’s hand moving to lay atop his monochrome partner’s own and returning a squeeze of his own, “You know I’d trust you with my life, Astram.” White exhaled as Cyan spoke his name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In return he took hold of his partner’s hand laid over his own, another squeeze as he tapped his helmet against the cyan glove in a mock kiss. The hand slides from his own, passing by his visor until it rests against the back of his helmet. A small tug and White leaned forward, pressing his head against Cyan’s whose face was partially visible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A small smile worked upon the captain’s lips stealing White’s breath as he himself gave back a smile, eyes seeming to gleam brighter than Cyan’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Given this moment, Cyan was deaf to the noise of the vents, but White listened. Always aware; protective of what he perceived his own. He could hear the unhidden low thrum of a hum coming from the corner to his left. A pit formed in his stomach, unease that had his abdominal mouth grinding its teeth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clicking of claws on metal, low over the sound of the Skeld’s engine, but it didn’t sound as close as the humming was, it wasn’t a clear sign whether Blue was getting closer or farther, but.. White’s lips thinned, choosing to ignore the sounds that he drowned out with Cyan’s steady breathing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was only him, Cyan and the Skeld’s engine with the expanse of stars and Polus in front of them now, again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other alien aboard was unhearable to White’s ears giving him reason to believe they were finally vacant of the vents. His tongue pressed against the back of his teeth as he finally made to sit back, but he stuttered. Cyan’s body was limp with sleep, a croon leaving him once he realized, carefully setting his captain back in the chair he had sat in besides White.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the monochrome alien settled in his own chair, he stared into the vastness of space, occupied with the multitude of dead stars and still living, his only focus being the planet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll be okay..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even if the others died.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>- The cold bite of Polus, a landing succeeding.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There had been no problems landing, if anything it had gone much smoother than any other landings Blue had ever had on a Skeld ship. Of course, that included the many ships he had hijacked before and having to land it himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not being a qualified pilot certainly made the landings.. More destructive to say less. If his past contractors had ever wanted an in-tact vessel he’d have a trained pilot as his impostor ally, but well, it was the cargo most of them wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A blast of snow hit him from the side, and even protected by the suit he could feel the cold nip teasing at his skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Could feel his mouth bare teeth, his clothes rustling to accommodate the sudden stretch, but it was ultimately unseen and ignored as many of the other suits surrounding him shifted with the Polus winds. Blue took a moment to adjust, his mouth sliding closed and smoothing over as he hurried after the others that began descending down the ramp leading into the outpost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stayed to the back of the pack, eyes flitting by every structure or doors that held rooms beyond them. From where the chain link fences looked weakest to the visible patches of soil that looked the looses. Those were the first things he took account of, mentally listing them from hardest to easiest escape routes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The clearing of someone’s throat caught his attention, across from Captain Cyan was a person suited in Yellow. Their posture was tense as they looked over the Skeld’s Captain, “Cyan-804,” a cursory glance covered the 5 remaining behind Cyan, “welcome to Outpost 1029, Mira HQ said you’d be dropping off supplies?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Five cargos of food rations, three of medical and seven miscellaneous products for your crew’s personal use.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yellow nodded, “You have all been given 2 months of rest while we refuel the ship Captain. While here you and your crew can either stay to their ship rooms or use the west side rooms. I hope you know where it is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a nod given to the officer of the outpost who nodded in turn before continuing their words, “If anything is needed our radio channel is 019. If communications ever go down our dorms are located south side off of admins. Since you host a few colors the same as some of my own crew stationed here, you’ll be needing to wear bands along your arms to avoid confusion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cyan gave an affirmative noise as Yellow handed him strips of grey cloth, a hand off to White who proceeded to pass them down until Blue was settled with two. For a moment Russ paused, staring at the strip obviously meant for the deceased Lime. The side of his lips curled upwards in amusement as he wrapped one piece around his right arm, placing the identical cloth over his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue would have gone back to listening to the conversation, but as his head began to raise a quiet chirp stole his attention. As he turned his body a bit he took in the appearance of a yellow mini.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It brightened at his attention, a wiggle from its body expressing joy that had his mouth twitching with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing all the way back here shorty?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A squeal was Blue’s only answer, it was expected of course, few mini-crewmates had vocals to speak with instead of the small noises they were made to make. Yet still, a short chuckle leaves him as he watches the small creature begin trotting around his legs for a moment before wobbling past the rest of his crew and towards its caretaker.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be taking my leav-,” a pause from the taller Yellow as their mini comes barreling into their leg, squeaking happily, “hey there kiddo, i’ve been wondering where you’ve gone off to.” A noise similar to a giggle left the tiny crewmate as the taller picked it up and settled it on their shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As I was saying, i’ll be taking my leave now. Dinner will be in 3 hours.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>- I remember, never forgotten.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yellow paused in their typing within the communications room as the screen reflected a figure behind them. A chirp from their mini had him saving and closing the documentation, turning to look at the figure reflected in the monitor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t you retire 5 years ago?” They spoke off-handedly as the blue figure shrugged in the same manner, “Weren’t you meant to 2 years before me.” It was thrown back at them, but they hardly cared; snorting as they took in the slightly off-colored blue crewmate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I don’t think I would’ve been you again. Made my kiddo sad for a whole goddamn day Russ, they were so fussy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yellow prodded the mini on their shoulder with their index finger, small squeals leaving every time the small one was poked. Little feet kicked, nubby hands smacking the offending finger repeatedly as Blue clicked his tongue, “A whole day?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walking until he was besides Yellow at the console, leaning against the wall it was mantled on as he pouted, “I see how it is midget,” he eyed the tiny thing on the other’s shoulder before turning his head away, “a whole day is what I mean to you is that it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite being unable to speak, Mini-Yellow had no trouble announcing its disapproval to Russ’ words via loud and fast squeaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t make the child throw a tantrum.” A lackluster rebuke as Blue chuckled, “Alright, alright, I'll stop messing with the tiny lad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So are you in communications for files or a call.” Yellow threw out, “Cause if it’s files you know I can’t allow you to do that while I’m here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea yea, only behind you back I get it.” He waved his hand, “I’m here to make a call, and return that extra strip of grey you gave us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yellow almost looked as if they did a full-body eye roll, an exasperated noise leaving them as they took the cloth back from their friend, handing it to their frustrated mini who took to it like a toy. Already the little crewmate had lost all recollection of what it had been mad in, opting to bounce on their caretaker’s shoulder while playing with what could’ve been the longest blanket probably seen by it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got about 2 hours before dinner, depending on if anyone is entering anytime soon. Calls are monitored still.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue gave an acknowledging nod as he waved bye, Yellow returning their own as their mini flailed with the cloth. Out the door they went, Russ returning his attention to the monitors before setting up the call.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One ring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His fingers tapped against the counter perched beneath the screens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two rings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slow blinks, a bored sigh as he listens to the dull ringing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the 5th ring Onna picked up, a breathless, “Hi honey!” Having Blue grimace in distaste. “How’s my big boy doing, is everything going okay?? Do I need to make a call and make sure you have everything? No one’s giving you any trouble right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The more she spoke, the more Russell wanted nothing more than to end the call, “Stop, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does mister big strong astronaut think he shouldn’t contact momma again?” Grimacing, it’s what his expression would be twisted in for the entire duration of this call, he’s sure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I get it, you’re too old for my love, is that it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, okay. Be that way.” Onna sniffled, “Everything going okay though?” Blue made an ‘ah’ noise, “Everything went okay, there was an accident though, but we landed.” Pen slid against paper across the line, Russ’ eyes flickering for the briefest of seconds as Onna wrote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Make any friends at least?” She drawled humoredly over the line, a click indicating a closing of her pen as paper crinkled- being passed onto someone else as steps left the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The closing of doors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, no. But I did meet an old one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oooh? Who is it, who is it.” Onna chanted happily, curiosity leaking from the tip of her tongue as Blue snorted in amusement, “They wear yellow, have a silly leafy plant that somehow never dies even in a frozen tundra of a planet,” a pause as Onna breaths in, “and they carry a mini with them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An excited gasp from the earthside call has the alien grinning as his other friend laughs, “When was the last time I saw that buckaroo!! Such a good help they were, I miss them and the shortstack they toted around!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Haha, I’ll give them your number to call you if you want.” Blue wagged the offer over the line to her, a strangled noise leaving Onna, “God, please do, I’ll even fly over to your home and make your favorite when you come back. Just make sure they call!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, of course.” He spoke in a slow manner as Onna chuckled, “Alright, off with you, go play in the snow, make more friends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The closing of a call, “I’m not a kid.” He rumbled in annoyance as he closed the off-world communication feature. For a moment he leaned against the counter, rocking on his feet before pushing away and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue did not yelp as he came visor to visor with a crewmate, but he did take a startled step back as his brows furrowed in confusion. Neither of them spoke for a hot minute, an itch crawling down his back as he forcibly pulled his persona over himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah-uhm.. hello?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still nothing came from the other crewmate that stared at him, only the slightest of change in the suit as it crinkled near the neck. A head tilt.. Or a head turn? Blue let his eyes roam everywhere besides the person in front of him, awkward as this was. He didn’t exactly know if this was the norm for the other crew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good talk..? I’m just going to.. Slide right by and go now. Later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slipped past the silent crewmate, exiting doors that automatically slid open before closing behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pausing. His head turned to look at the door behind him, a bewildered expression leaving him as he clearly heard the mechanization of the door quite loudly, “How??”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If his voice was on the higher end of the spectrum, well. He wasn’t in the mood for defending. Offense would be taken.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>- There’s a multitude of perceptions, I can’t decide.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He watched as the Skeld crewmate left, the grey cloth wrapped around his right arm one of the indicators, but the other. His eyes squinted as he looked down at his own suit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not the right blue.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blue the other wore was in fact very different. No where was it close to the neon dark blue one of the Polus crewmates wore. Certainly easier on the eyes, he decided, the many bright colored suits he had been seeing the past year he worked on Polus had his eyes sore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the color, he mused upon it further. It was not cerulean, that would be closer to cyan. Teal.. would be an in between, but it was greener. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Azure? No, that was closer to his blue crewmate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Denim? His eyes closed as he recalled the color, his lips thinned as he sighed through his nose, “Yes?” He questioned to himself, shuffling for a moment as he looked back at the monitors before turning and exiting the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He licked his lips, cold air that had slipped through his suit making a chill bite at them. Nose scrunching, he stepped upon the snow, the crystalline shards of ice crunching beneath rosy boots.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Salmon looked at said boots in contemplation. He kicked at the snow, some falling, but others being taken by the lazy wind and landing some bit away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Is not pink..?” Again, a question to himself. Head turning left to right, the man settled for heading left towards Specimen room. He passed by one of the offices, receiving a wave from one of his fellows, Purple, as he slid into Admin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His Black and White waved from the panel settled in the middle of the room as he stepped into decontamination.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His body twitched at the sudden heated air pressed suddenly against him, his steps hurriedly leaving the sauna-like room once the doors opened with a sharp hiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Half-way through the long hallway he stopped by the window facing a group of snowmates, his eyes trailed all four still standing before staring at the fifth that had flopped over. Salmon smiled as he pressed his tongue against the ends of his canines. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Resuming his walk, he examined the specimen room with a happy hum, making way to his desk and sitting down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peaceful was the empty room and its silence. Nothing here to distract him, none of his fellow crewmates to complain about the constant dim lights he kept the specimen room in. Salmon leaned back in his chair and stretched, a groan of satisfaction escaping from his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another pause.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Russian Blue?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Inbetween</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Between knowing and unknowing.</p>
<p>Would a change in plans help.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry sORRY SORRY<br/>There'ssomanydistractions,_,<br/>sorry it's short (really short)q-q</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>LOCATION _ EARTH - NY</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pristine nails tap against a mahogany table, the occasional sound of paper being moved and the quiet breaths as words are spoken beneath each exhale as those papers were sorted through.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Creaking of doors interrupted the peace of reading, the tapping stops and a tired voice drones, “I hope you’re not here to give me more paperwork Jazmyn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing of the sort, Onna,” amusement is clear in the assistant’s voice as she strolled closer to her boss, tone changing and face shifting into a frown, “if it were paperwork instead of the news I had for you..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Onna gave an expletive, “Out with it then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Informant DR-31 sent us an update just now about a change in the MIRA mission.” Handing over a file, Onna opens it with a lackluster expression. Eyes trail over words with that same look before it slowly morphs into surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A furrow of brows changes it even faster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Worry crosses with concern as she breathes out a heavy sigh, “Oh fucking hell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My words exactly, do you think he knows?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She presses her lips thinly as he skimmed over the file again, a hand comes up, rubbing at her forehead as she responds to her assistant, “If he doesn’t yet, he’ll be informed by one of the officers or captain.” Onna gave a tilted nod, “Or he calls again. Doubtful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jazmyn snorts, rolling her eyes, “After that play you put on in the first minute of the call, I’m almost astonished he didn’t right up and hang up on you. The amount of antics he puts up with.” Shaking her head in bemusement she hardly acknowledges Onna’s quiet laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Practically raised him!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s ten years older than you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Onna waved a hand as she laid the file, open and on her desk, words clear to both ladies in the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>{REASSIGNMENT} - [SKELD OBJECTIVE] - 001551</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Blue - Russel^Stoner ``Technician - Fill-in Archaeologist``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Pink - Sally^Salmon ``Xenobiologist``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Purple - Vicky^Prince ``Medic``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Crewmates to be placed on incoming craft SKELD - A4210 in discovery of planet L4K3M3R3.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Joining team 473</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODNAME_Black - ``Captain``</b>
  <b>
    <br/>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_White - ``Engineer``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Yellow - ``Pilot``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Green - ``Security``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Brown - ``Electrician``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Orange - ``Security``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>CODENAME_Red - ``Biologist``</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>To the three new crewmates joining aboard A4210 from Outpost 1029 we are happy to have you join the project!</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Recent discoveries have been made by scouting vessels of a planet a few ways from P0LU5 and with a crew close by, you can fill in the roles they are currently missing!</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Blue of team 229, it has come to our attention you are a new recruit and this will be your second mission. We hope you have not become attached to your current team as it was never guaranteed you’d stay with them!</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Pink of team 397, it’s always a pleasure to have you assisting us on missions! We hope your results are as promising as ever. Work well with the archaeologist and biologist assigned alongside you!</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Purple of team 397, congratulations on being approved for reassignment! You are just in luck for being needed aboard vessel A4210, we hope you are able to aid the team in any way necessary!</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Officer Yellow of team 397, apologies for taking hold of 2 of your crewmates and Captain Cyan of team 229’s Technician. Regards from Mira HQ, we hope you may inform them of their reassignments and mission to planet L4K3M3R3.</b>
  <b></b>
</p>
<p>"Semantics."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>again i am so sorry, this is beyond late<br/>and im pretty sure other chapters are going to be late as well<br/>but I'm going to try and actually write snippets (as i've been actually doing but they were all sent together)<br/>so hopefully those come out faster!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I looked up, never thinking you were looking down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An outside perspective intertwining with Salmon's dailies.</p><p>There will always be high places to watch from.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The amount of times Blue of 229 interacted with Pink of 397 was hardly something to count at all. </p><p>The amount of times Pink of 397 observed Blue of 229 was another matter.</p><p>Of the first contact with the recruit, Salmon could hardly be called calm. Surprise, confusion and interest. Questions. He had been in Mira’s systems long enough to know that the color of blue they wore was not a standard they handed out.</p><p>Not anymore at least. Back then there had been multiple colors to pick from, so it’s to be suspicious a recruit would have a set. HQ did not give hand-me-downs, they gave job-specific attires made to equip and fit the one person that’ll always hold on to them. One of their parent’s then?</p><p>Those were questions, not even the tip of the iceberg, that had Sal watching him.</p><p>It’s not to say his observations were subtle. Not in any way did he hide his staring. So it was really no surprise to see the biologist watching the other crew’s techie. Among crew 397 of course it wasn’t really odd.</p><p>For that to be explained it wasn’t that much difficult to understand that Salmon, known as Pink in the systems, disliked said color.</p><p>To be repeated, the suit he wore wasn’t the pink most crews had now. Again, multiple colors to choose from back then, but it wasn’t as if Salmon chose the color <em> back then </em>. Working for MIRA was practically installed into his genes.</p><p>How a pregnant lady was cleared for a mission, how multiple could be cleared- it’s 100% certain he’s not the only employee to be born in space. Future ones to come as well. Although it’s not so far off that you could throw away the thought of crewmates fraternizing together.</p><p>Those newborns probably don’t last long seeing as you wouldn’t exactly be prepared with a child-sized suit for them.</p><p>So it was to be said Salmon did not pick the color pink, it was his mother’s choice and loathe he was of the color pink, at least it wasn’t the eye-burner MIRA insisted the newer set of crewmates wear.</p><p>I can hear you questioning what’s going on you know. ‘I thought this was about Salmon watching Russ?’, ‘Where’d the talk about different colored suits come from?’</p><p>It’s almost seamless how the conversation shifted isn’t it. So we’ll go back to how Salmon became <b>Interested</b> in the recruit.</p><p>He’s the only other crewmate around (often seen by the small pocket of lava <em> their </em> outpost hosted) with a suit not the standard blue, much like Sal’s, whose suit wasn’t the normal <em> pink </em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>owo</p><p>hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving week! ^^</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>@Oreocat4</p><p>^My twitter where I started doodling Russ ;)<br/>Ahh- but spoiler, the other half is there (the main one I doodle&lt;3)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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